Take care, the weather is getting Hotter (in Singapore) – 2

My friend,

I am Dr Clement Ng, founder of TCM and You.

A live online sharing of this article and coming courses was conducted on 25/04/2023. For those who have missed it or would like to revise the content delivered, you can assess the following video


The last time I communicated with you was in mid-February 2023. Singapore has officially entered into the stage of Living with COVID-19. it was a great relief that our life activities have resumed to almost pre Pandemic. As I reported in February, after the Start of Spring, climate change corresponded to a period of high prevalence of infectious diseases.

As you may be aware, the number of COVID-19 cases has exceeded 20,000 a week, with the number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease and flu are on the rise. I hope you will continue to put on your masks, pay attention to your personal hygiene and that of your family, improve your immunity, and do not ruin the achievements you have worked so hard for the last three years. In addition to responding to the government’s call, we should also know how to be self-conscious and stay at home if you feel uncomfortable or you have lower immunity.

Commencement of summer

Come May 6, 2023, the Northern Hemisphere will usher the seventh solar term, the Summer Commences (LiXia立夏), and Singapore, which is just one degree North of Equator, will enter a uniquely Singapore’s summer, characterize by Hot and Humid climate couple with thundery shower. As outline in my TCM Diet Class, while many claim that there is not seasonal changes in Singapore, the following chart demonstrate that we do have climatic trends and patients’ symptoms will react significantly accordingly with weather changes. I believe that we will have a very hot June and July this year. We must bring a bottle of water when we go out and remember to “drink before you are thirsty” to prevent heat stroke

For those who have Damp-Heatiness body constitution types characterized by symptoms such eczema, skin rashes, UTI, care must be taken during the coming months to prevent the triggering on such symptoms. Besides these common skin diseases, under the influence of high temperature, heat and humidity, people tend to be easily agitated, and symptoms such as headaches and Digestive Systems Diseases will also occur more frequently during this period.

Digestive Systems Diseases

Damp-heatiness is one of the prevalence pathogenic factors during this period. As the weather become hotter, it’s common for most people to start taking cold drinks and cooling stuff, people often develop poor appetite, diarrheas, and acid reflux. From the TCM diet perspective, it is recommended to consume foods which have heat cleansing and diuretic properties, such as porridge and soup, which help to quench thirst, promote fluid secretion, relieve heat, and nourishing to the body. Foods with heat cleansing and with diuretic properties are watermelon, bitter gourd, plum, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, which have a certain refreshing effect.

Drink a cup of warm ginger water in the morning, this can help alleviate the symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, insomnia due to the humid weather, and ginger can also be an appetizer that strengthens the Spleen Visceral systems, prevent coldness to the stomach and catching a cold.

Headache

High temperatures, humidity, thundery shower, and sudden changes in the weather often induce or worsen headaches. Couple with lack of sleep, emotional, mental fatigue can induce headaches. During this period, we should avoid excessive reliance on drugs. The symptoms can be moderated through ensuring adequacy of fluid in-take, avoidance of cold foods, regulating your emotion and pay attention to rest, as adjuvant treatment.

Skin diseases

The hot and humid weather is conducive to the growth and reproduction of various fungi and bacteria. In addition, Singaporeans are generally prone to perspiration and the skin is often sweaty and wet. If they are not wiped clean and dry, the fungus will develop in our skin and cause skin diseases. During this period attention should be channel to personal hygiene, keeping the skin dry. Clothes, blankets, towels, should be clean and disinfect frequently.

Cardiovascular diseases

The summer weather corresponds to the Heart Qi under 5-Elements theory, and during this period, the health betterment focus is in maintaining a Healthy Heart Visceral system, in prevention of heat and cardiovascular related illnesses.

While you may be staying home more recently, it’s important to keep your spirit high, keeping yourself mentally coordinated and stimulated, ensuring a regular daily schedule. You can consider taking up courses online and learn some health maintenance practice.

I will be sharing four acupoints including three that are important for cleansing dampness and heatiness from the body and one that unbind the chest and soothing mood. At the same time, I will introduce four medicinal diets that nourish the heart system and help cleansing heat and dampness.

Medicated diets:

  • Bitter Gourd Ribs Soup:
    • [Ingredients]
      • Bitter gourd 500 grams,
      • Ribs 400 grams,
      • Onion, ginger, salt to taste.
    • [Efficacy] Cleanse summer heat and dampness improves eyesight and detoxify.

  • Tuckahoe Barley soup:
    • [Ingredients]
      • Tuckahoe 100g,
      • Barley 50g,
      • sugar to taste.
    • [Efficacy] Clearing heat and dampness, detoxifying and diuretics.

  • Three beans and Barley Drink
    • [Ingredients]
      • Green Beans 20g
      • Red Beans 20g
      • Black Beans 20g
      • Barley 20g
      • Rock sugar to taste.
    • [Efficacy] Strengthening the spleen and dispelling dampness, relieving heat and quenching thirst, reducing swelling and diuretic

  •   Astragalus Qi Invigorating tea
    • [Ingredients]
      • Astragalus 10g,
      • Wolfberry 5g,
      • 5 Red dates,
      • Honeysuckle 10 g and
      • 3 slices of fresh Ginger生姜.
      • 1 liter of water
    • [Efficacy] Suitable for people with deficiency of qi, prone to colds, to improve immunity

Acupressure Massage Technique:

  • Ji Quan Acupoint
    • Located at the apex of the axilla, the acupuncture point of the iliac artery is an important acupuncture point of the Heart meridian. Massaging this point can help to cleanse the heatiness from the heart.
    • Method: Press massaging about 3 minutes, at least once a day.

  • Qu Chi Acupoint
    • Located on the side of the elbow in the depression, belonging to the large intestine. This is the acupoint where the dampness of the large intestine meridians gathers. Massaging it for about 3 minutes, with a feeling of soreness, can help clear away heat and dampness.
    • Method: Press massaging about 3 minutes, at least once a day.

  • Wei Zhong acupoint
    • At the back of the knee, on the midway of popliteal crease, belongs to the bladder meridian. Bladder meridian is the largest detoxification and dampness channel of the human body and Wei Zhong acupoint is the “sewage” outlet on this channel.
    • Method: Tap massaging about 3 minutes, at least once a day.

  • Nei Guan Acupoint
    • Located on the inner aspect of the forearm, 2 cun above wrist line in between the two tendons. The acupoints belongs to the pericardium meridian. Massaging this point can help maintain the heart and relieve heartache, palpitations and chest tightness.
    • Method: Push massaging about 3 minutes, at least once a day.

Course Preview May 2023 


Please send this article to your friends; we hope to have more friends joining us in the journey of health Betterment.

Thank you for being a part of my health care program. I look forward to sharing with you the knowledge and techniques of TCM health Betterment.

Dr. Clement Ng

Updated in 22/04/2023

P.S.

For friends coming from Southern Hemisphere, please see my article on Keeping Warm in Cooler weather. https://tcmandyou.com/home/keepwarm/


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